Lagoons are like bathtubs, trapping and holding pollutant runoff and waste. And since a lagoon is a complex ecology that can’t simply be filtered and cleaned through tidal flows, it requires a complex solution to help reverse the effects of human impact on the environment. For years, Brevard Zoo’s Conservation Team has been combating the decades-long effect of pollutant runoff and rising nitrogen levels in the Indian River Lagoon. And now, MANG is stepping up and helping them answer the call to preserve this critical ecosystem through the interconnectedness of mangrove, oyster bed, and seagrass restoration along the coastline.

Starting with the Restore Our Shores collection, MANG will not only be donating directly to the Zoo’s restoration efforts, but also growing mangroves at the nursery for future Zoo planting projects. “Our partnership with MANG is an innovative way to bring about real conservation action. The Zoo is a drop off location for mangrove propagules, and MANG picks them up and grows them out for use in future restoration projects, many of which are facilitated by Brevard Zoo,” explains Conservation Curator Ashley Rearden. Jody Palmer, Director of Conservation adds, “The team behind MANG are true conservation heroes and those are the types of organizations I strive to support in my personal and professional purchases.” Brevard Zoo truly understands the complex relationship between interconnected species, and they are not only helping restore Brevard shorelines, but also educating the community, explains Kyle Rossin, co-founder at MANG. “MANG shares the exact same mission of holistic ecological restoration, focusing our efforts on the role of mangroves in coastal ecosystems.”

Environmental restoration hinges on recognizing the interconnectedness of flora and fauna—or the commensal relationships between plant and animal life that make up our unique ecosystems across the globe. “The Restore Our Shores collection is about the interconnectedness of Mother Nature,” says Kyle Rossin. “Every ecosystem has a heartbeat, and in the case of Florida’s coastline, mangroves, oysters and seagrass are keystone ecological species.” Our MANGdala design is built to show how mangroves are at the center of MANG and Brevard Zoo’s conjoined partnership efforts and how these mangroves are directly connected to the health of so much wildlife and plant life all around us. From jaguars to scrub jays to oyster beds and the endangered Perdido Key beach mouse, one small change in our ecosystem affects every living thing.

How your purchase helps save and protect our ecosystem

• 10% of all proceeds from the Restore Our Shores collection go directly to our combined planting and educational efforts with Brevard Zoo’s Conservation Team.
• Every purchase plants a mangrove through MANG’s Buy One. Plant One.® initiative
• Your support brings visible awareness to the collected efforts of MANG and Brevard Zoo to help restore the Indian River Lagoon for future generations.